A jaw-dropping video shared by former President Donald Trump has set off a political and financial firestorm, with some asking: Is Trump really trying to crash the U.S. economy on purpose? In a now-viral post on Truth Social, Trump reposted a clip boldly claiming he’s intentionally tanking the markets — and offered no clarification or denial.
The idea sounds outrageous, but it’s gaining traction among economists and market analysts. Some believe Trump may be testing out a high-stakes strategy known as the “J-curve reset” — a controversial economic move involving short-term pain to spark long-term growth. The theory suggests he’s manipulating market conditions to pressure the Federal Reserve into cutting interest rates.
Since Trump’s return to office in January, stock market performance has nosedived. While many initially blamed tariffs and trade tension, the new narrative paints a much more calculated picture: a deliberate slowdown to force the Fed’s hand.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP JUST REPOSTED THIS VIDEO TO TRUTH SOCIAL SAYING HE CRASHED THE STOCK MARKET BY 20% ON PURPOSE pic.twitter.com/WPbQNGGKrQ
— Cam (@CryptoNews_eth) April 4, 2025
Trump has a complicated relationship with interest rates and the Federal Reserve. He’s made it no secret that he wants rates to drop, and he hasn’t held back criticism of Fed Chair Jerome Powell. Though Trump doesn’t have the legal authority to fire Powell, he’s repeatedly hinted at using whatever influence he can to shape monetary policy.
In a twist that feels more like a scripted drama than real life, Trump shared the “Trump is purposefully CRASHING the market” video — originally posted on Elon Musk’s X platform — without a single comment. That silence has only added fuel to the fire.
Behind the viral video is a serious economic conversation. Falling treasury yields and rising demand for government bonds point to investor uncertainty, while Trump’s rhetoric continues to suggest he’s okay with market volatility — at least in the short term.
“There’s definitely a growing sense that the administration is embracing a short-term downturn,” said Kevin Ford, a macro strategist at Convera. “If that’s the cost of breaking financial bubbles and resetting the system, it seems like they’re ready to take the hit.”
Ford isn’t alone. More analysts are leaning into the J-curve theory: endure a temporary economic dip, then bounce back stronger through rate cuts and renewed investment. But not everyone’s buying it.
Paul Donovan, chief economist at UBS, called the idea of a master plan far-fetched. He pointed out mixed messages from Trump’s team and called the administration’s policy shifts “peculiar,” even joking about attempts to blame unrelated factors like penguins on Heard Island.
When asked directly about the rumors aboard Air Force One, Trump brushed it off. “That’s so stupid,” he said. “I don’t want anything to go down. But sometimes you have to take medicine to fix something.”
Whether calculated genius or political chaos, one thing’s certain — Trump’s cryptic post has reignited debate about how much power a president truly has over markets, and just how far he might go to shape the economic narrative.
